LL-L "What does it mean?" 2003.02.19 (01) [E]

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From: Andrew Howey <andyandmae_howey at sbcglobal.net>
Subject: LL-L "What does it mean?" 2003.02.14 (12) [E]

Hi, Roger:

Normally, when it's not being used as a noun as in "freak of nature",
"freak" would typically occur in combination with words like "occurrence" or
"circumstance", and it would mean an unusual (and probably unintended)
happening.  That's the sense that I get from the quote that you included.

Andy Howey

====
From: Roger Thijs, Euro-Support, Inc.
Subject: Vocabulary

What does "freak" mean in this context: a "joke"?

quote Times on-line:
[...] Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, today refused to
apologise for the David Beckham eyebrow injury.
At a press conference at Old Trafford ahead of tomorrow’s Champions’
League
clash with Juventus, Sir Alex laughed off the incident, which he again
described as "a freak".[...]

quoting from the preceeding message:
[...] Allegations that Ferguson then threw a boot, a punch or aimed a kick
at Beckham have been strongly denied by sources at Old Trafford, but the cut
above the player’s eye confirms that, in his anger, the manager lashed out
at a stray boot on the dressing-room floor and drew blood. Beckham has been
accused of responding by spitting at his manager and the pair are said to
have been separated by players.[...]

Regards,
Roger

- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * -
Euro-Support, Inc. www.euro-support.be
Executive Interim Management
B 2640 Mortsel, A. Segerslei, 151
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From: Andrys Onsman <Andrys.Onsman at CeLTS.monash.edu.au>
Subject: LL-L "What does it mean?" 2003.02.14 (12) [E]

to: Roger Thijs, Euro-Support, Inc. <roger.thijs at euro-support.be>
 Subject: Vocabulary
>
> What does "freak" mean in this context: a "joke"?

I think in this context it means something like "a freak of nature", an
isolated, unexpected, unpredictable incident. Probably more common is
the term freakish (as distinct from freaky, which has a more
supernatural undertone). David Beckam has a freakish ability to bend a
ball around a wall. His wife has a freaky ability to be photographed
when she has a new record coming out. I'm not sure which applies to Sir
Alex...

Andrys Onsman

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From: Brooks, Mark <mark.brooks at twc.state.tx.us>
Subject: LL-L "What does it mean?" 2003.02.14 (12) [E]

My guess is that it's short for saying it was a "freak accident."  Meaning
something completely unexpected, unpredictable, and unrepeatable.

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From: Daniel Prohaska <daniel at ryan-prohaska.com>
Subject: LL-L "What does it mean?" 2003.02.14 (12) [E]

>What does "freak" mean in this context: a "joke"?

>quote Times on-line:
>[...] Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, today refused
to
>apologise for the David Beckham eyebrow injury.
>At a press conference at Old Trafford ahead of tomorrow's Champions'
League
>clash with Juventus, Sir Alex laughed off the incident, which he again
>described as "a freak".[...]

"freak" in this contexts means:

<an event that is abnormal or extremely unusual>

can also refer to
<a personal whim or caprice>

Dan

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From: kcaldwell31 at comcast.net <kcaldwell31 at comcast.net>
Subject: LL-L "What does it mean?" 2003.02.14 (12) [E]

> From: Roger Thijs, Euro-Support, Inc. <roger.thijs at euro-support.be>
> Subject: Vocabulary
>
> What does "freak" mean in this context: a "joke"?
>
> quote Times on-line:
> [...] Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, today refused to
> apologise for the David Beckham eyebrow injury.
> At a press conference at Old Trafford ahead of tomorrow’s Champions’
> League
> clash with Juventus, Sir Alex laughed off the incident, which he again
> described as "a freak".[...]

Roger,

It is short for "freak injury" or "freak accident," meaning that it was
markedly unusual, well outside the range of injuries one might expect an
athlete to suffer.

Kevin Caldwell (kcaldwell31 at comcast.net)

----------

From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "What does it mean?"

> From: Roger Thijs, Euro-Support, Inc. <roger.thijs at euro-support.be>
> Subject: Vocabulary
>
> What does "freak" mean in this context: a "joke"?
>
> quote Times on-line:
> [...] Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, today refused to
> apologise for the David Beckham eyebrow injury.
> At a press conference at Old Trafford ahead of tomorrows Champions League
> clash with Juventus, Sir Alex laughed off the incident, which he again
> described as "a freak".[...]

This is simply truncated idiom, meaning "a freak accident",
which in turn is a common idiomatic way of saying "an unusual,
unexpected accident" or "an accident involving a certain
amount of unexcpected coincidence."

Sandy
http://scotstext.org/

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